HUD New Guidelines: Service/Assistance animals and Reasonable Accommodation

"You will learn about many of the needs for reasonable accommodations. One of the primary requests are for assistance animals. We will discuss what the requirements are, what animals are allowed and how a landlord is to verify the need for such animals."

Reasonable accommodation is one of fair housing’s “hot topics”. This typically accounts for over 50% of the fair housing complaints to HUD in the past year. Reasonable accommodations can be requested during the application process, during tenancy and during an eviction. It is important to learn the correct procedure to ask for, review and implement this important action. Reasonable accommodations are requested because of a disability of either physical or mental issues. It is important that one understand the definition of disability and when it come into play to allow a disabled person to enjoy the same quality of life as an non-disabled individual.

In this program, you’ll learn how to:

• Definition of reasonable accommodation
• Definition of disability
• When an accommodation is needed
• Deference between an accommodation and modification
• Understanding of companion animal/ service animal issues
• Understanding what is “reasonable”
• New HUD Guidance on Service/ assisted animals

Benefits:

HUD has just released new guidance for owners and managers on how to deal with assistance animals. We will go over these new rules in detail. This information will help you not to run afoul of the fair housing issues involved.

• Understand fair housing issues and how they impact your property
• Understand the need for accommodations
• Understand the fair housing laws about accommodations
• Know timeframe for requesting and granting of accommodations
• What properties fall under fair housing/ accommodation laws
• Review of new HUD guidance.

Who Should Attend:

• Property Owners
• Hosuing Professionals
• Property Managers
• Housing Authority Staff
• Compliance Staff
• Maintenance Staff
• Managers

Paul Flogstad

Paul has been involved in the real estate industry for the past 38 years. After college graduation was in law enforcement for 4 years. From that point on, he has been involved in sales, construction, project management, appraisal, mortgage consulting and brokerage, property management and property management consulting/training.

Most recently, he was a consultant for affordable, multi-housing properties in 22 different states. This involved properties in HUD, Rural Development and Tax Credit programs. In this role he supported managers by training, compliance, budgeting, developing policy and procedures as well as creating successful marketing strategies. Previously he was a regional manager for a large property management company in South Dakota.

For over twenty years was involved in appraisal of residential, multi-family, farm and commercial properties throughout the Midwest.

He holds numerous professional property management designations and currently holds the prestigious RHM designation from the National Center for Housing Management.

In 2007 he formed Property Management Solutions. In this capacity, he provides training and consulting services nationwide to owners, management companies, multi-housing associations, as well as state and federal agencies.

He currently serves as the Fair Housing Ombudsman for the State of South Dakota and is considered a nationally recognized expert in fair housing. He is also a national trainer specializing in tax credit properties for the National Center of Housing Management.